To Beat The RTI Trap You Must Have the Right Mindset, Assessments and Partners

At 3D Learner, we have helped thousands of students succeed — and we are particularly sensitive to the consistently inconsistent RTI or Response to Intervention Process, especially for students with Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia

The Success MAP (TM) for Response to Intervention) includes:

Mindset that you will help your child succeed and be tested for learning disabilities or dyslexia ASAP, ifa appropriate

Assess for a Disability and Assess for Success

Partner with the right professionals and/or advocate

The RTI Trap Impacts Students with Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia

If you suspect Dyslexia and/or Learning Disabilities and your child is in a public or charter school, you have the right to ask for an evaluation. While schools may say that they must complete the Response to Intervention process before considering an evaluation, that is not true — RTI Cannot be use to delay or deny and evaluation.

While the system for identifying students with learning disabilities and dyslexia is consistently inconsistent, there are a number of things that parents and outside professionals can do to get a student an evaluation and services.

There is a very clear letter from Melody Musgrove, the former director OSEP (the Federal Office for Special Education Programs), that clearly says that RTI cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation — RTI, the Melody Musgrove Letter and a sample letter parents can use can be found at The RTI Trap.

Parents and professionals, take action and ask your questions below or email me at markhalpert3d@gmail.com or call me at 561-361-7495

The percent of students with specific learning disabilities in Florida has decreased from 8.8% to under 5 percent over the last 12 years. What is worse is that there are even more students today with learning disabilities and dyslexia today, because the standards are higher and little else has changed.

I have seen dozens of presentations on Response to Intervention ( a three tiered process that tries to help a child succeed before considering special education). None have left me with the feeling that what we are doing is right for students with learning disabilities and dyslexia.

In 2011, I was about to speak at the National Center for Learning Disabilities forum on RTI. Professor Don Deshler, from the University of Kansas was the keynote speaker. He commented that RTI could either be a game changer or a comma in history. He asked me what I was going to speak on. I responded — I am going to speak on Parents Need to Be Effectively Integrated into the RTI Process. Professor Deshler encouraged me to say just that.

Very little has changed since then, but there is a way that parents and outside professionals can help the parents to be even more effective.

Avoid The RTI Trap and Get an Evaluation for Learning Disabilities

We have developed an approach to Beating the RTI Trap, with a 3 Step Process

1- Write a letter to the school requesting an evaluation and making sure they know that they must assess within 60 calendar days.

2- Making sure they know that you know that RTI cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation. We include both of these in our draft letter parents can use at The RTI Trap.

3. Get help from a parent advocate, a special education attorney or a psychologist or other professional who can help you advocate.

We are available to help and we are also looking for parents and professionals who are interested in joining our team at the Learning Disabilities Association of Florida, where we are committed to improving identification and results for students with learning disabilities, that includes students with dyslexia.

You can reach Mark Halpert at 561-361-7495 for a no cost Stress to Success Strategy Session